Every marriage has its little secrets.
But some secrets are bigger than others …
Roger Kurmudge is rather smug about his affluent life and happy marriage. It’s just as well his wife, Jane, doesn’t know about that little indiscretion in his past. But on his retirement day, Jane disappears. Roger’s about to panic. Will he have to sell some shares or – heaven forbid! – the house in Bordeaux to pay a ransom? Worse – has Jane discovered his guilty secret? Then Jane’s emails start arriving.
Take the dog to the vet. Look after grandson Alfie for the day. Do the washing, shopping and cooking. Host Christmas for the family.
Roger doesn’t know why Jane’s gone but he’s sure he can manage her ‘women’s work’ – although it’s harder than it looks.
As the weeks go by and Jane stays away, Roger is forced to re-examine everything he thought he knew about his family, his life and himself. But even if Roger can change for the better, will Jane ever come back?
Or has she been keeping secrets of her own?
Terrifically Enjoyable!
Such a funny read! I imagine women up and down the land laughing their heads off at this one!
Roger Kurmudge has done rather well for himself in life and, as he is about to retire as CEO, reflects on his life congratulating himself that his wife never found out about his past indiscretion. Roger is smugly planning his retirement but then things start to go awry; Jane isn’t to be found and he is at a loss as to what to do – has she been kidnapped? Then emails begin to arrive from his wife with brief instructions about things to be done. Roger is quite sure he can cope – after all, how hard can ‘women’s work’ be? And so the fun begins!
What a fabulous idea for a book. My husband is extremely well ‘house-trained’ – not that I take any credit; his mother ran an equal opportunities home and with six kids they all did their bit. I still found this hysterically funny, though, and I imagine ever other female on the planet will too. Grandson Alfie, who addresses his grandad as ‘Woger’ is a wee comedian in his own right and was the icing on the cake. Exactly the same age as our youngest grandson, I perhaps related to him more than most. There is a serious aspect to this novel, all told in the most entertaining manner and terrifically enjoyable. Skilfully plotted and beautifully written, it is an amazing achievement for a debut novel and one I most definitely recommend. A full five sparkling stars, and absolutely an author to watch out for!
My thanks to Rachel Gilbey, both for forwarding my copy of this novel and my spot in this tour; this is – as always – my honest, original and unbiased review.
Tags: women’s humorous fiction
- Format: ebook, paperback
- Size: 355 pages
- Publication Date: 29 August 2021
- Book Links:
- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58898107
- https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09DYYBW9M
- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09DYYBW9M
Author Details
Jane’s Away is my debut novel, although I have a couple of other manuscripts in a drawer. I live in Wiltshire with my family, three guinea pigs and a very stubborn springer spaniel, and when I’m not writing, I’m avoiding housework by hiding in a room, reading one of the many books on my TBR pile.
- Website: http://clarehawken.com/
- Twitter: @ClareHawken
Grace J Reviewerlady 